


Egyptian Gold

by badwoIIf, ioniwa



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Mental Breakdown, Slow Burn, SuperCorp, Volleyball, Volleyball AU, sports AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-06-12 03:06:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15330372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwoIIf/pseuds/badwoIIf, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ioniwa/pseuds/ioniwa
Summary: “Lena, you know how huge this is, right? I mean…” Tony said, looking at his best friend sitting by his side, the huge lake reflecting the twilight in front of them “I’m sorry I won’t be there by your side to testify this”.“I… know. What if I can’t do it, Tony? This people are trusting me”. she stared at the lake kneading the glass of juice in her hand.“You’ll make it to the top, Adlheid. You’re born to this and, someday, I’ll be there, watching my best friend become the biggest player of all times”. she laid down her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and letting a deep breath come out.“I’ve got to make it”.ORThe volleyball au where Lena Luthor goes to Canada to play in the same team as Kara Danvers, the #1 volleyball player.





	1. chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there! So, this fic is currently being written by two persons, these being G and L. We’ve decided to create this fanfic after watching Haikyuu!, an volleyball anime. We’ll try to make it as loyal as we can to reality, specially on games scenes, but sometimes it can be adjusted to the story terms. Also, for this story, we need you to assume volleyball is a much bigger sport, and it’s players are really huge. We’re trying to explain the volleyball terms and scenes as most as we can, too.
> 
> Thanks to V, who’s helping us a lot with the formal english, and M, for supporting us during the process.
> 
> The story title, “Egyptian Gold”, is a lyric of “Valentine”, the song from 5 Seconds of Summer’s third album “Youngblood”.

Dresden, Germany – July 2017 //

Situated in a valley on the River Elbe, Dresden is one of the most famous cities in Germany. Not only for its politics and tradition, but also for the Dresden University of Technology. Known as one of the greatest schools in Germany, the TU Dresden is the home of many athletes, specially volleyball players. 

Yet, it was a big surprise for Lena when, in the middle of her anatomy class, she got an email from Mark Jeffords. She had been waiting for this moment for three weeks now, and it had finally arrived. Three weeks ago the man was sitting on the grandstand, a feel meters from her, watching closely every steep she and the other girls took. She was so nervous that, in the beginning, her liftings were looked as ones of a five year old. Apparently, the rest of them convinced the man, and that was all she needed.

“From: markjeff@marauders.staff.com

Good morning, Miss Luthor. 

After some meetings, the negotiations team of McMaster Marauders would be glad if you could join us, tomorrow at 8:00 a.m., at the TU Dresden principal’s office. We look forward to seeing you.

Best regards,

McMaster Marauders CO.”

×××

Lena stared at the pastel green wall while eating her morning cereal in a total trance. Her kitchen, although big, seemed very small to her. The only thing in her mind at the moment was the name of the man whom she would meet within a couple hours.

Mark Jeffords was the CEO for the McMaster Marauders, one of the ascending teams in the Volleyball Canada Nationals. To be accepted would be, for sure, a huge step in Lena’s career. She could finally go professional and give her future a bright plan. Of course, if only she could convince her mother of this.

“Would you even be a titular? Would you stay in the bench?” her mother argued, walking around the kitchen.

“I don’t know that yet, mom.” Lena said, pouring coffee on her blue mug while standing anchored at the kitchen’s balcony. 

The happiness she felt while eating breakfast was nothing compared to the anxiety at all. She could feel finches in her stomach while Lillian walked around the place asking a thousand questions.

“It isn’t even a big team, Lena… I don’t know, honestly, I don’t feel very comfortable with this whole situation. You could do better.” 

“I know I could, but… I don’t want to. Just think about it, alright?” she looked at her mother while eating another spoonful of cereal “The team is not bad at all, they’re ascending on the scene, not to mention their talented squad. Wouldn’t you like for me to have my name bound to it? I don’t want to be on a team with so much history that people won’t even notice me, mom.”

Lillian sat down to the white chair and stared at Lena in silence for a few seconds. Deep within her, only Lena knew how much she wanted everything to go right. 

“We’ll see about that. It’s seven o’clock, let’s go before traffic gets insane.” 

×××

Regardless of anything her mother said on their way to the university, Lena was nervous. As much as she tried to hide it, her little craze to fiddle her own hair didn’t let it go unnoticed. Being a twenty-two volleyball player in Germany was not easy, the competition was very heavy, specially for foreign teams. 

When they both arrived, Lena instantly jumped out of the car with her backpack. She stared at Lillian, who gave her a weak smile. She knew it would take more of the small talk over breakfast to convince the woman.

The principal’s office was large and beautiful. Lena had been there a couple of times, but it always surprised her with a new detail. The giant bookcase got fuller every time, and it suited the place well. In front of her there was always a big brown desk with two chairs in front of it, and one beautiful leather armchair behind, which always gives a beautiful back view to the university’s field. The surprising detail this time was a new painting on the wall: a big white pitbull.

“Miss Luthor, just in time. Let me introduce you to Mr. Jeffords. I guess you’ve met before.” Mr. Schmidt was always kind to her, although he could be very terrible sometimes as the Head of the university. 

“We haven’t met properly yet. Good morning, Mr. Jeffords.” Lena’s stomach felt that hand-shaking like a punch. She was so nervous it was almost in the air.  
There were three men in the room; the first, Mr Schmidt, was the current principal of the school, a very tall, old, white man. He was always gentle to everyone, especially to those who brought prizes for his school. Mark Jeffords, in his dark blue suit; and a third man standing near him. Jeffords introduced him as Phillip Kane, one of Marauder’s couching helpers, and as Lena believed, one of the men that saw her playing the other day. They all sat down and the CEO was the first one to talk.

“As you should know by now, Miss Luthor, we have been overviewing some interesting names around the world in the last weeks. A couple weeks ago, Mr. Kane here came to watch one of your games, and he felt very convinced that you’ve got a natural talent.” 

The nervousness in Lena’s mind settled down once she heard the compliment.

“We would be amazed if you could demonstrate it. Of course, if you are interested in our proposal.” he continued, being interrupted by Lillian one second later.

“Excuse me, but… what would that be? That… proposal.” Lillian was serious, just like every time she treated about the subject. 

“We want to watch Lena play an official game for the University, and, if that’s good enough, we would like to invite her to our team. But, of course, we need a demonstration of what she can do first.”

“The next game is friday, two days from now.” the woman starts, looking at Lena and getting her attention back to the man. “We would very much like you to be there, Mr. Jeffords. Lena will not disappoint you.”

×××

“Girl… That’s amazing! I mean, they really are giving you a chance, you know what it means, right?” Helene said, giving Lena the biggest smile ever, while Lena stared at the table eating her apple.

“I know… It is… a big chance…” she repeated very low. There it was once again: the finch in her stomach. 

“Dude, you’re going to be a professional player! I can already see it, Lena Luthor, the best libero in the league!”

“It’s just a testing game, Mary. Calm down.” the coldness in Lena’s voice, as always, sent the message to her friend. She hated receiving lots of expectation from others, especially about important stuff. Getting a lot of expectation meant that if you failed, everyone would be disappointed, and if you succeeded, you were just doing normal. And she, above everyone, didn’t want to be acknowledged as someone normal. Not in this matter.

After cutting Mary off, Lena’s focus was totally on her phone’s screen. The game going on was currently between the University of Bonn and the Technical University of Berlin, the latter being her next rivals. Beating the Technical University of Berlin’s team wouldn’t be easy, specially because of their great defense, but Lena’s team was very confident, even if, for the libero, it was not only a game. 

It was only two months before the end of the semester, what meant that Lena would finally conclude college. After four years, she wasn’t as commemorative as her colleagues, not because she didn’t care, but mostly because physiotherapy was not her final goal in life. Going to college was, at first, just an excuse for playing volleyball. Finding a course that pleased her was very difficult, but she did it. Now she was a well-formed physiotherapist, and the truth was, deep down, she fell in love with the whole thing.

It just wasn’t as intense as volleyball. It never was as intense as volleyball, not matter what it was.

×××

The changing room was filled with young girls discussing strategies while the coach gave them tips. Lena put on her yellow shirt while listening the woman. Her focus at the point was bigger than in any other game before. As the team walked out, she could hear the university students screaming on the grandstand, most of them carrying something yellow. 

As the girls prepared themselves, Lena couldn’t stop thinking about how great she should be at that game. The nervousness she felt was probably the worst in her entire life. It wasn’t just a game for her, it was the biggest opportunity of her life, and entering in the volleyball court seeing the Marauders’ staff was a reminder of how well she must do. In front of her another six girls were ready, and as always, Lena stared at each one of them, analyzing how calm they were.

Ester, the setter, seemed very confident. Anne, their ace, was focused as always, trying to intimidate the rivals. The two blockers Celine and Amelia were in the corner trading ideas, while the second hitter, Helene, tied her shoes. Lena took a deep breath before they walked towards a very noisy, excited audience.

The first set went to the rivals, in a very disputed match where the lions of Berlin scored twenty five - twenty two against the Dresden snakes. Their coach, Mrs. Hanns, as usual, didn’t say much. Her technics were basically let the players resolve their problems between themselves, what was actually great, since Lena was their captain.

“Anne, try letting Helene hit some balls, she can be a good surprise. Ester, I’m sending you all the well-controlled digs, stay alert. Both of you, blockers, just try watching the ball’s trajectory before jumping. Any questions?”

Ester pronounced herself to Lena at the same time, “I don’t know about their ace, Lena… She has some great talent going over there.”

Lena gave a fast look to the number one on the other side of the court, “Celine and Amelia, mark her. I’ll handle the rest.” said the snakes’ number seven, staring at the team.

Lena Adlheid Luthor had always been a libero, which meant she had the lowest height in the team, but also, was a very important game’s piece. Lena was fast, and above all, she had amazing reflexes, ones that conceded her great fame all over the district. Her digs - the movements where the libero quickly saves the ball and gives it to the setter, who lifts it into a ace/hitter’s scoring attack - were very precise, and she did lots of them on the second set.

The regionals, differently from another tournaments, were disputed in three sets of twenty five points. In that moment, the Dresden girls were rocking at the court, and their lost on the first set for sure gave them bad blood. They were insane, specially Lena, whose priority wasn’t the Marauders lookers anymore, but beating the Berlin lions. She had fire in her eyes and insanity in her miraculous hands, ones that saved so many balls people couldn’t even keep count.

The game was tied up for the third set. After a great match, Lena’s team scored a very successful twenty five - twenty one and got to extend it for more. At the very beginning, Berlin made a trade. Their number four was substituted for another girl, a new girl. Lena didn’t know her, but she was tall, and probably a hitter. 

Lena was right. And she was unbelievable. The tall, dark-skinned girl was so strong Lena couldn’t believe they actually kept her for the third set, and it would get even worse: she was an amazing server. Lena had always been great at catching serves, but right now the rival’s skyballs were just too much.

When a team starts with the ball and hits it to the other it’s just a normal serve, but sometimes, when the player is very well skilled, they can jump and send the kind of ball that just floats in the air. It’s like the ball doesn’t have a straight rout and it dances in the air, and for liberos, these are the worst thing ever. After losing two, Lena was finally able to catch one, and it was spectacular. Her eyes followed the ball all its way, and it would have gone outside until Lena realised that was a floating ball, which meant it would probably make a giant curve. It took less than half a second for her reflexes to kick in and her right foot automatically slid twenty centimeters away. She felt the ball hit it and in that moment the grandstands, entirely in deep silence, exploded in screams. She saved the ball, and that one dig assured the point for them to finally make twenty two - eighteen. 

Unfortunately, Lena’s team was losing, and it would get even harder after the rotation. When your rivals serve a ball and your team scores the point, the whole team switch positions, and that was the worst nightmare for Lena, specially in that case. Once they rotated, Lena was at the setter place, but the only problem was: Lena didn’t know how to lift balls, that was her only real weak point, and she depended on it to help her team. 

For two straight points she wasn’t necessary to her team since the ball didn’t even come at her. It died on Anne’s arms, who was a terrible libero and couldn’t dig the attacks from their rivals. That specifically position was a whole chaos for all the girls, and they all knew that. Twenty four - eighteen was the score by that time, and only a miracle could save them.

When the ball came and Anne saved it, Lena looked at it starving. Her whole body was taken by adrenaline and she could actually hear the blood pumping through her veins. The digging wasn’t that good, and in another circumstance, Ester would for sure fix it for the ace, but Lena’s was no Ester. And then the whole mess happened in a matter of seconds. She prepared for the lifting and in front of her Amelia, the Dresden giant, could be seen running like an arrow to hit the ball. Lena’s lifting was so poor it literally looked like a child had done it, and it couldn’t have gone worse: Amelia, in an attempt to save the attack, hit the ball with no force, which let it go out. The ball was literally so out, even the judge had a doubtful expression on his face. One second late, he blew the whistle, ending the match. 

They needed a miracle, and Lena couldn’t do it. Amelia stared at her, and in that moment she knew she had fucked everything up so hard.

×××

Going to school the next cold morning was not the easiest thing in the world, specially after losing a game. Lena repassed all her mistakes at least a thousand times just like a cinematic scene in her head while driving to her first class. By that point her mind was so distracted punishing itself that she almost forgot her backpack in the car. This was not the first time it happened to Lena, though. Her self punishing behavior was just something that had always been there, and she never even tried to change it. Also, Lillian’s post game reaction helped a lot with the self flagellation. If at least Lena could have conceded a few nice liftings, or if her reflexes had been a bit faster…

The subconscious shame made Lena spend the whole class in silence, looking at random stuff. She wished she could just disappear, but unfortunately the most she was able to do at the moment was to put some earphones in and lay her head on the desk, thinking about Mark Jeffords. She saw him on the grandstands, not in the middle of it, but down with the University professors. After the shameful liftings and some other mistakes, the girl didn’t even had the courage to look at the man again. 

“u should relax, u know, it was not your fault…” The message on her screen popped-up and she looked at Tony by her side, giving him a weak, grateful smile. Tony had always been the first to be there for Lena, and she was just so thankful for him, but sometimes it seemed like he didn’t get the need for success Lena dealt with. Yet, it felt good to have someone always around her, so she could just not be alone. The two of them found Mary at lunch break and they all got together to eat. The silence was annoying, but Lena knew they just didn’t know what to say. 

Dealing with Lena had never been easy, particularly when it comes to competitions, in which she was always extremely hard on herself. Being good wasn’t an option for her, but an obligation. The tension in her psyche after lost games always sent the same message: you failed. And in her mind that wasn’t just any message, but a big red billboard. Lena’s body hurt, not only because of the game, but also the muscle tension provoked by her stress and early anxiety, knowing that any minute she would be home, and her mom would look at her with the traditional disappointment look. Last night, the both of them didn’t even talk about the game, 'cause she was too frustrated, and her mom extremely angry. Lena had one job, and she messed it up. 

“Lena?”, Robin took her out of her thoughts, “the principal wants to see you in his office.”

Fuck. That was the only possible thought in her mind as she walked through the school’s hallways. When she made it into the office, her surprised face couldn’t even be hidden. Mark Jeffords, sitting on the same chair as the other day, stared at her, “Oh hello Miss Luthor.”

“Lena, sit down, please, and listen closely to what Mr. Jeffords says.”, her mother said, sitting on the second chair, and pointed to the last one near to hers. So she did, and Mark Jeffords opened his briefcase, taking some papers out of it.

“Miss Luthor… This is your contract with the McMaster Marauders, valued at C$1.360.000 canadian dollars or €885.000 euros. Please, read it with attention.” he gave the papers to Lena who smiled, confused, letting some air out.

“Wait… What… Did you watch the game, Mr. Jeffords?”

“I did, in fact. Some pretty great shit you pulled off in the end, huh?” he smiled, confident of his words “The thing is, Miss Luthor, we don’t need a setter, we already have a great one. Brazilian girl, very talented, an amazing woman. We need a libero though, and as a libero, you did… Well, you did spectacularly great. Also, we believe you could learn somethings with our girls, and they could surely learn some good stuff with you. Please, consider coming to play for us. You will have a considerable salary, as you can see at the fourth page, seventeenth line.”

Lena stared at the man for a few seconds, then her eyes turned to Mr. Schmidt, who gave her a very proud smile. She turned to the contract, reading each line of it, and in a overdose of excitement, signed her name twice on it, next to her mother’s signature. 

×××

Seven months later Lena was impatiently watching the minutes pass the slowest she’d ever seen her entire life, while sitting at the most uncomfortable chair on the Dresden airport. She had been in this airport a couple of times before when she needed to visit her dad in Canada, or when she had games in other cities. If she was honest, the airport was quite nice, very quiet and small, which was great for not getting lost, and the only thing she ever complained about was the annoying lack of restaurants. But this time everything was making her angry, the staff was being too polite, the chairs were all uncomfortable, the time was not passing fast enough. There was already a line for the flight, even when no airline officials had announced it (what made her even angrier). Even the people speaking german close to her was annoying at that point.

She started to pass the time watching the footage of a video she had asked one of her friends in class to record of the previous game against the Berlin lions, the one she played the day the Marauders CEO and staff were there to watch her, and only her. Jörn was this nice guy she met during her first anatomy class, on the first semester of college, and he always went to the games, mostly because of his girlfriend, Ester, who played in the team. He did the nice favor of recording the match for Lena, and tried to focus only on herself so she could spend long minutes analyzing every single move she made, and criticize each one of them, even the wrong breaths she took.

Was this a healthy way to deal with failure? No, she knew that, but she also couldn’t help it. That was an obligation for her since she started playing volleyball, thanks to her mom, who made her watch every junior high game she ever played, only to point out the exact moment she screwed up. In the footage she could see the one moment she tried to dig the ball and it landed wrong in her arms, changing directions. The whole movement was so unexpected it took all her teammates out of the move. Or the moment she lifted the ball to Amelia so poorly, and fucked up their counterattack. Even the moment someone shouted “IN” to a ball, what she didn’t believe in, and ended up moving her body and letting the ball hit the floor inside of the court, only ten centimeters behind her.

All the mistakes she made in that match were pretty bad, even amateur ones, and if it wasn’t for the nice saves and received balls she got, there was no way in hell that Mark Jeffords would have finished watching the match. There was a ball that no one in her team even moved to catch because it had hit the block and it was going very quickly to the end of the court, almost close enough from the line referee, but she did the impossible and ran so fast that not only did she get the ball, but sent it right to the setter, that didn’t think twice before dumping the ball over to the opponent's side. That move made her smile, but it didn’t last long, since right after that she was the one to serve and it was a bad one, right in the hands of their libero. She didn’t had the time to hate herself because she hear a voice loud enough to get her attention.

“Letzter Anruf für Flug 371, der Firma KLM nach Lissabon” said the male and bored german voice, and she was up before he repeated the information in English “Last call for flight 371, company KLM bound for Lisbon”.

Lena gave her ticket to an old woman with a gentle smile, that looked at her passport for five seconds before giving it back to her, saying a nice “Gute reise.*”, which was answered in a low voice. The woman was already tired, and she wasn’t even on the plane yet, but then again it was almost 12 hours of travelling. Twelve long hours that would give her enough time to torture herself over that game, and have at least five anxiety attacks over the fact that she was going to play in a professional league, sided by one of her greatest idols.

×××

Twelve torturing hours later, Lena was finally at her apartment in Ontario, Canada. The Marauders team had been very kind to her, and gave her a place to stay while signed up with them. Thanks to her father and the visits she often made to him, she wasn’t a completely foreigner in Canada, and maybe this time, far from her mom and Germany, she could finally live her half Canadian side. She threw herself on the bed and breathed deeply, picking up her phone. 

Looking at her social media, one of the first posts she put her eyes on was from the McMaster Marauders. In one of the photos, Lena could be seen saving a low ball with all the focus in the world. On another one, she was at the university’s principal's office, signing up the contract with Mark Jeffords. The post had received 489.000 likes by that moment, and then it finally came to her.

“Shit. Don’t let me fuck this up.” she said to herself, yet, out loud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Letzter Anruf für Flug 371, der Firma KLM nach Lissabon* = Last call for flight 371, company KLM bound for Lisbon.  
> Gute reise* = Good trip.
> 
> Hello guys. This is our first fic, so please tell us what you think about when you read it. Hope you guys enjoy it. x


	2. chapter 2

Toronto, Canada – January 2018

Three days later, Lena was already installed in her apartment. Her clothes were organized, the furniture was in the right place and she even bought food for some days. Resolving these little things made Lena very comfortable, and she could feel like home already. Except, of course, for the annoying jet lag that insisted on messing her up. The team staff gave her a few days to settle down and get used to the new city, and it helped a lot in the beginning, but now she was just frustrated, tired of cleaning, and exhausted from arranging the whole furniture, and all of this didn’t give a lot of time to her body for overcoming the six-hour jet lag between Dresden and Toronto.

This time it was four in the morning, a nice improvement from the last three days, in which she woke up between midnight and three o’clock. When she saw the time in her phone, Lena couldn’t help the tired sigh that came out of her mouth.

The apartment the Marauders staff gave her was situated at 467 Richmond Street East, although Lena had never gone to this part of Toronto before, the good thing was it took only ten minutes to get through the Marauders training space. With that in her mind, she got out the bed and opened the window, looking at the black sky full of stars that covered Toronto in that cold night. Winter in Canada was relatively worse than in Germany, and on that night specifically, Lena felt like her bones would freeze, mostly because she insisted on sleeping uncovered. The girl took a long hot shower and put on her training clothes, heading to the kitchen.

Lena’s apartment was small, yet, very comfortable. The wooden floor gave it some heating and sophistication, and the ivory walls made it look very light. Passing through the living room, the largest space at the place, she arrived at the kitchen and began making some black coffee, while turning on the small tv and watching a reprised hockey game from the night before. Lena wasn't very intimate with hockey, but since she was at Canada now, she got a bit interested in learning about it.

After eating some cereal, fruits and drinking a cup of coffee so she could stay awake better, Lena packed her stuff and put the team’s coat on, leaving her home and following to the Marauder’s gym, using her phone to help with the coordinates. At 4:47 a.m., Toronto was still dark, the sun still hiding. Lena kept walking while observing the city, she never actually did it before when visiting her father, since she just stayed at his home with her grandma and cousins. Now, she had time and patience to analyze how beautiful Toronto really was, maybe she would even go for some turisting later.

Arriving at the address, Lena stared at the large building in front of her. It had at least twenty floors, and as she was told, the training rooms were at the ninth, tenth and eleventh. Yet, she kept following to the Marauders’ gymnasium, on the left side of the building. It was a considerable big arena. Mark had told her that the gym was open 24/7, she just needed to show her ID to the security guard at the entering and get in, as her name was on the list since the minute the contract had been signed in Germany.

When Lena passed through the hall, she already ended up in the training room, which was a normal volleyball court, with dozens of grandstands, with the floor being yellow on the court’s inside and blue on the outside. The place was empty, except for one single woman Lena identified at the same moment. Stretching her muscles, a young woman was sitting in the middle of the court, staring at the floor. Lena stayed quiet and observed her while she tied her curly brown hair up, and then decided to make some noise just to be noticed.

“Hello?” Lena said as walking towards the other.

“Morning." the girl already known by her answered, now staring at Lena.

“I… Sorry, just thought about training a little, didn't know you were here.”

“Do we know each other? Anyways, I’m Fernanda. My pleasure.” she nodded her head, rising up from the floor and coming near Lena.

Fernanda Santos was the setter for the Marauders. Born and raised in Brazil, state of Minas Gerais, she was a young talent the lookers found at a regional contest, and pretty good as far as Lena knew. The first championship they won in years was brought by her in 2017 perfectly lined up with the team’s star. Her liftings were precise and loaded with talent, and even if she wasn't Lena’s idol in the team, she was definitely a great player - and stupiditly beautiful.

Measuring 1.80m, Fernanda had very latina looking traits, yet, her black skin was in perfect line with the now tied up curly brown hair.

“I’m Lena, the new libero, pleasure is mine.”

Fernanda stared at Lena for a while and let a little smile appear.

“Libero, huh? Great. We need one after Smith injured her leg, you fucking liberos have no care for your body, do you?” her voice had a bit of a indignation tone Lena was used with. Setters were known for being too rational and always using their minds to play, whereas liberos were the totally opposite, since their reflexes and instincts were the ones to command their bodies. They never actually thought before doing shit, their only job was to save the ball, it didn't mattered how.

“Happens…” Lena grumbled in a low voice. “Anyway, I just thought about training a bit. It was getting kinda boring at the apartment.” Lena started, looking at Fernanda, who seemed to be very different from what the girl imagined.

The setter went to the corners pushing a cart with some balls in it, and unexpectedly quickly, threw a ball at Lena, who deviated it with her right hand, sending it away.

Fernanda seemed to think while looking at her for some seconds.

“Yeah… fine. Go change, you’re catching some serves of mine, good?” the girl went to the court’s other side and Lena run into the locker room, dressing the uniform as fast as she could and coming back. The whole way back Lena thought about the ball Fernanda threw at her, testing her reflexes. They didn’t really know her or her gameplay at all, and that gave Lena some finches in the stomach. The weight over her shoulders… It was beginning to get heavy.

She came back and they started training together. Fernanda really couldn’t serve, and Lena, at some points, thought about giving her some advice, but it was so early… What if the colleague thought she was trying to control something? Lena had a very defensive posture, and decided to say nothing.

“So… you’re from Germany, right? How is it there? Is it… cold?” Lena let out a laugh and felt so grateful for Fernanda starting the small talk. She didn't miss it at all, and definitely wasn’t there for anything but playing, but she also didn't want to be unfriendly.

“It is… sometimes. It's hotter than Canada, anyway.” Fernanda served another ball and Lena saved it with no difficulties, by Lena’s analyses so far, she didn't have a great serve. “I didn't know you liked to serve. I mean, never saw you serving before on Marauders games.”

In the last days, Lena did her job. She researched a lot about the Marauders’ team, specially about their last season. 2017 was the first year they won in a long time, and the team kept growing since then. The pressure over the players was oversized, yet, some of them shone a lot, and Fernanda was one of them. The amazing setter had been incredibly indispensable over the Marauders’ victory. She and the team’s star were quite a duo, even if the second one got more attention from the media and became the team’s face over the past months. Considering that, Lena couldn’t had imagined the girl would have a weakness in such an easy thing for setters, such as the serves.

“I don't do serves, that's why we have Emma. You are a libero so you must understand it.”

She was right, usually liberos, for not being very tall, didn't do serves either, but Lena wasn’t like any libero anymore. After hours and hours alone at her old school gym, she finally became a great server.

“Serving is not that difficult, you just need to-” Lena was interrupted in the middle of her sentence when she heard the noise from her back, four other girls started entering the gym in a very loud way. Their laughs stopped once they saw Lena.

“What did we tell you about bringing your friends to play with you, Fernanda?” said the one with black hair, staring at Lena.

“She’s not a fan, you idiot, she’s the new player!” Fernanda came all the way to Lena’s side and whispered to her, “Sorry, we had some problems about that before. Anyway, that’s Lena everybody, everybody, Lena.”

They hesitated for a second, their eyes stuck at Lena, who had no idea of how to react. Of all the ways she imagined being introduced, that was certainly not one of them.

“New… girl. I see.” The black-haired one came ahead and greeted Lena offering her right hand, in which Lena politely shook, the second one, although, held some mistrust in her eyes.

One by one they started greeting Lena, but all of them seemed to be very uncomfortable with her presence, and that not only got Lena really anxious, as it also set her brain into a crazy nerve. What if they were against her hiring? Did they want her on the team?

The four girls were very distinct from one to another, but still, Lena could tell them apart, since she passed almost an entire month watching their games from the year before. Maddison Kane, the black-haired who argued with Fernanda, was part of the defensive line, and sometimes would make great attacks. With 1,81m, she had a big brawny body, and a very strong attitude.

The second one, Li Wang, was an amazing blocker, and Lena for some instants envied the chinese’s height which wasn’t less than 1,85m, for sure. She was incredibly talented, and known for her very rational gameplay.

Behind her was, of course, Emma Campbell. With light brown hair, Emma was the Ace of their team. Her only job was to score points with great hits. Also, she was a great distraction since she managed to be super tall with her incredible height of 1,90m.

The last one, Lena had studied very well.

Jennifer Smith, with twenty-six years old, was the Marauder’s libero. Her dark hair and pale skin made her look very scary sometimes, and she kinda had a rebel attitude, She was amazing and Lena had watched many games focusing on her just so she could learn more about the team’s logic. Last season she had a terrible injure and her arm got seriously compromised, and that was the reason why Lena was there. The Marauder’s staff needed a replacement before the season started, which lead them to Dresden, in Germany. Now, the german’s only job was to make Jennifer’s job as good as her, and, if possible, even better.

The only one missing was… Well, Lena could imagine she would be the latest one, but it wasn't important at that time, with Lena’s only concern being why her colleagues were treating her so coldly.

“So… how… how did they end up buying you? I mean, hiring you. Did you send an application or…” started Emma, with a confused voice.

_ Fuck _ . They really didn't know what Lena was doing there. The staff didn't even contact them? Lena’s head couldn't be more messed up, and she started feeling very uncomfortable.

When she was about to make a move, a new voice entered the room, “What are you all doing there? Go change, people, you should be ready by now. Come on!” After this, all four girls directed themselves to the locker room, giving good morning to Mrs. Schmidt, who came to Lena and Fernanda shortly after. Lena analysed her new coach up and down. White as paper, Gina Schmidt was clearly canadian, and her traces showed that very well. She had been one of the greatest volleyball players around the world back in her days, and the coach for McMaster Marauders for two years now. The woman was directly linked to all the team’s business and hirings, and she had lead them to a great victory on Canada National League over the past year. Being able to learn with her would be a pleasure, and Lena couldn’t wait to begin.

“So I finally met you, Luthor. Great, how has Canada been?” she greeted with a warm smile, “I must confess I wasn’t expecting you so early, but I see you already got with Santos and the other girls, right?”

“I… It’s a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. I’m sorry, I didn’t want to bother anyone by coming earlier, I-” Lena was interrupt for Fernanda, whose voice came out with quite a serious tone.

“Why didn’t you tell us the new libero was coming in town this week, Gina? Would it have killed you, woman?” The coach sent Fernanda a dangerous look, and the setter rolled her eyes. In part, Lena was thankful for this commentary. The girls seemed very defensive with Lena, and she felt very uncomfortable.

“You see, the thing is, we would have had a reunion with Lena and the staff, and then with you guys, but she came earlier than we expected and it blew up. It’s not your fault, Luthor, but we are three weeks away from the new season, it’s exchange time, players from all teams are being bought and sold, they all end up spouting at some point. You know, they don’t wanna be replaced. Specially those who annoy their coaches with stupid attitudes.” she stared at Fernanda again.

“I wasn’t annoying you, it’s just… Damn, woman, don’t scare me like that. Also, the other girls were total bitches to Lena, cause they all think she’s coming for their spot.” If Lena didn’t know a lot about the Marauders by now, she would totally say Fernanda was their captain.

"Santos, can you tell the other girls to warm up while I talk to Lena about our rules and some stuff?" Mrs. Schmidt said in a calm voice, but it was clear that she wasn't giving her a chance.

"Sure, coach." Fernanda answered loud and clear, turning back and walking towards the lockers room, not before whispering to Lena. "Good luck with that."

"Mrs. Luthor, follow me to my office, so we can speak privately." With that said, Gina Schmidt started walking through the other side of the court, heading to a door Lena didn't even realize was there in first place. The door led to a hallway, and after a few moments, the older woman stopped in front of a door and pulled a key from her pocket, unlocking it and getting in, turning the lights on and letting a space for Lena to get in. "Come, have a seat.”

Lena entered the medium sized room with white and grey walls, a larger computer desk in dark wood color, two regular sized chairs in front of the desk and one big black chair in the back, the kind you see in the office of a principal or an important CEO. The atmosphere made Lena conclude Gina spent a lot of time in there. In the back of the room there was a large bookshelf, full of not only books, but also files with names and dates. There were a lot of photographs as well, some of them with the men that were in Germany to talk to Lena about signing the deal, one in a competition with a huge banner in front of the girls saying "Canada Volleyball 2007", and thanks to her research, Lena knew it was the year that Gina Schmidt played for the country in the Nations League. But in the center, there was a picture of the team in the last year, with the trophy at the finals for the National Canadian Championship, taken only a few moments after they won. Also, a jersey full of autographs, framed close to this picture. It was very clear how attached to the team Gina Schmidt was.

"You can sit down, Lena." Gina said again, taking off her jacket and placing in over the back of her chair, turning and sitting down herself, looking at Lena. "You don't need to look so scared, you’ve done nothing wrong."

"I know I should have officially come here next week, but Mr. Jeffords told me I could come and train any day I wanted and... I kind got bored back in the apartment."

"Excuse me?" Gina's eyebrows rose up a little bit.

"Oh, I already did everything I needed there and it was eating me alive staying locked inside the apartment doing nothing. The building doesn't even have a gym so I can work out a little, and I didn’t want to get sloppy."

"You settled yourself in a new place, in a new country, in three days, and then got bored?" She asked again just to make sure and Lena nodded. "You are something else, aren't you, Mrs. Luthor? Most girls at your age would go to a bar or enjoy a club until the last day possible."

"With all due respect, coach Schmidt, I came here to play volleyball, and I have no intention of pulling away from that so I can go out to clubs."

"This is good to hear, good to know you are focused.  First of all, you should know I was the one who brought you here, I sent the lookers and Mark behind you. Was in Dresden on my last vacation, you know, it’s a lovely place, and I was very impressed with the games I managed to watch from the Germany Universities League. Second of all, you should know I expect nothing  but great work from you. You have potential, you have talent, I want to use it on my team, so help me out, alright? Also, since you are so excited to play, you're gonna talk to our doctor tomorrow and get some physical and blood tests, okay? Not that we don't trust you taking care of your body, but we need to keep you on track and know everything there is to know. Just... bureaucracy."

"Yeah, no problem about that, I have nothing to hide."

"Good, also, something important. You know the Nationals start in a month, and here we have some rules to keep things under control and keep our ratings high, okay?"

"That's okay, what are those rules?" Lena asked already knowing what to expect.”

"The rules are: No drugs, not even weed, I don't care if that helps you relax or if it cures cancer, since I'm assuming you don't have cancer, am I right?"

"I... don't."

"Great, so, no drugs, don't get drunk, no emotional wear and... no sex.” She saw Lena's eyes get wide at the end of the sentence and rapidly continued. "Not... never, this is a volleyball team, not church camp. But try keeping it during the match days, or at least 2 days before the games, even if it's in another city or whatever. We want all the team focused and without spending energy in anything but the games."

"I see..." Lena deviated her look to the team's photograph on the table and Mrs. Schmidt kept on.

"So if you want to drink, drink moderately, if you know you can keep it under control. Go out, but come back to have at least 6 hours of sleep. Make friends, but be careful with who you associate yourself with. Again, don't do any illicit drug, don't hook up during game days, and don't get your psychological fucked up, even if we have a psychologist for that. Am I being clear?"

"As water." Lena stared at Gina again, noddling her head.

"Wonderful." She smiled relieved. "Oh, and one last warning, don't get in personal relationships with your teammates, we've had problems with this kind of matter in the past, and I would hate having to scream at you 'cause your work was impaired for something like this."

"I'm here to give you all of my potential and nothing else, Mrs. Schmidt."

"Excellent, now that we've made things clear, let's introduce you properly to the team before they go insane."

After some minutes, the six girls came back in their maroon training uniforms, and sat in front of the coach, Lena standing by her side in complete silence.

“Okay, everybody, this is Lena Luthor, your new colleague. As you know, Jennifer got serious injured, which means she’s not playing for some time, and we need a new libero, since we don’t have a reserve player for this position.” In that moment the girls’ eyes landed on Lena with so much more sympathy, giving her a lighter feeling. “Please, be welcoming, all of you. Jennifer, stop coming here, you’re not training, I told you that. Go home, go rest and go see with your doctor how that arm is going. The rest of you, training, now! We only have three weeks and I want you all in good shape.”

They all started resolving their stuff and Lena was a little lost when Fernanda came up to her, “Can you continue with the receivings for me? I could really use training some serves.”

Lena agreed and they both got back to their side of the court. Fernanda seemed very nice until now, and she looked like a very quiet, introvert person. She was focused all the time and acted like a very professional player, what was a surprise for Lena in the beginning, but not now. She actually expected this kind of behavior from a brazilian player, who were always known by their focus and seriousness with volleyball. But, once again, she couldn’t find a way to improve her serves.

The girl sent a nice ball once, but after that she didn’t make one great hit, and she was clearly starting to get nervous. At some point Lena stoped catching the serves and just walked through the court towards Fernanda, picking up a ball and looking at her, “Okay, just watch me.”

She took some distance and ran, sending the ball up and jumping, hitting it on the air with the middle of her hand.

“It’s not how much force you put in it, it’s just where you hit the ball. Try not hitting it with your arm’s force but with the fast movement of your wrist.” They kept training until Gina called them in the corner of the court.

“Girls, come on, we have to try on our uniform for the next season. As always, the maroon was kept at the shorts, but now our shirt is black, what made me very happy. Also you should know-” The coach was interrupt by a voice far away, screaming.

“Sorry I’m late I’m going to change as fast as I can please don’t do anything without me I’ll be back soon just wait for me people!” The woman ran like a bolt to the locker room crossing the court while she screamed the words nonstop, and Lena kept up with her eyes through the entire way. Running like crazy, the twenty-five year old woman carried a black suit coat on her left arm. The white shirt with its sleeves rolled up at the elbows marked her curves perfectly as well as the high waisted black pants she wore. The most impressive, so far, was the ability she had to just run like a pro on her black Louboutin high heels.

She was there. The one who was missing. She was finally there.

When the woman appeared again, Lena couldn’t help staring at her. Measuring 1,83m, she was one of the tallest on the team. Her body was perfectly defined, and her tied up blonde hair let a few strands falling on her face. Kara Danvers not only was the Marauder’s captain, but also the team’s star, an amazing attacker, and one of players Lena admired the most.

“Sorry guys, I was…” she started, being interrupted by Emma.

“Closing another deal with one of my sponsors. Which one of them was this time, Kara? Barack Obama?” Emma imitated Kara’s voice and laughed with the rest of the team, and Lena understood this was a very frequent situation.

“You’ll have to wait and watch the TV commercial, sweetie.” Kara winked at her and smiled, sitting near them. Her green eyes landed on Lena and she gave the new girl a pleasant smile. “You’re Lena, right? Sorry for being late, I’m Kara, Kara Danvers”. She stood out her hand and Lena shook it.

“I know. I mean, I’ve known you, you know.” Kara let a short laugh out and Lena smiled politely at her. The woman has been the face of volleyball for a year now, she was on every sports tv show and magazine, how was Lena supposed to act with her? She was a fucking star, and Lena had just got out of a University’s team. She was a talented newbie, but yet, a newbie.

Kara made some jokes with the other girls, and after some great laughing, all of them started talking about the new uniform. The one from last season,  maroon shirt with grey shorts, was now overpast, and the team’s staff wanted to renew it for something that fit Marauder’s current great time.

“As I was saying before, Danvers is not the only one with new sponsors, whoever the hell it is.” said the coach, offering the new shirt to the girls. It was fully black, but with some fine maroon lines. The whole thing was customized by PUMA, and it was incredibly beautiful, too, as it also held a sponsor on the front. “Vitalité Health is our new sponsor, and as you know, they are simply the… biggest enterprise for health on Canada! They are investing a lot on us after our last amazing season, so please, let’s keep the high standards.”

They picked up their shirts, one by one, and tired them on. Each with their currently chosen number: Maddison was 4, Fernanda 12, Emma 19, Li Wang 23. Lena chose the number 7, and Kara, of course, was the number 1.

After they tried it, Maddison and Fernanda started fighting over some unknown reason, what made Kara and Emma laugh very loudly, and even Lena let a little smile come out over the both of them discussing. They got back to the court and the coach started debating some ideas with Kara in private while the other girls kept training, and they spent a lot of time like that.

It was only their second week after their well-deserved vacations, and the current champions were ready to come back with everything they had, and Lena could feel it. Playing for the University’s team had always been a pleasure and a pressure, but nothing was quite like looking around and seeing herself on a professional team. The feeling of being important and having a great future ahead of her was so exciting, yet, so fucked up. At some moments she felt like throwing up thanks to her nerves. Fernanda, in a supportive way, told her it was nothing compared to what she would feel once she stepped on a real court, with an entire audience, on a real championship. Canadian Nationals were super known, and the public was just ridiculous. It was ridiculous the amount of people in Canada that kept up with volleyball.

Before getting back to the train, all the girls except for Kara and Mrs. Schmidt - who stayed at the second office discussing some things - gathered to have lunch at a nice bar across the street, in front of the gym. Lena kept in silence the whole time, but it was great to observe the team’s relationships and behaviors.

×××

At the end of the training, Gina let them go and Lena changed her clothes, putting her earphones on and leaving the court. It was already eight pm and she decided to just walk by the downtown of Toronto to find a nice place to get dinner. The city was beautiful and very noisy and light. Unlike Dresden, it was alive. Twenty minutes later, she was finally in front of a great restaurant her father used to take her when they went strolling through the city. She crossed the street and entered the place, sitting near the window and looking at her phone.

_ “From: Mom 18:34 _

_ Hello baby, how is it in Canada? How was your first training? Were people nice to you? Don’t let me without news, young lady!!!!!!” _

_ “From: Mom 19:02 _

_ Lena? Are you there?” _

_ “From: Mom 19:08 _

_ Please, answer me!!!” _

_ 3 lost calls from Mom. _

_ “From: Me 20:31 _

_ Mom, I’m fine, everything is fine, don’t worry, I can take care myself. The girls were nice and everything is going ok.” _

Lena took a deep breathe in silence and texted her mom back, putting the phone away and making her order to the waiter. The TV at the restaurant just announced the evening news show, and Lena relaxed in her chair while paying attention. Fifteen minutes later she was eating an amazing filet steak with salad while watching TV. The sports column started announcing the news and unexpectedly , Lena saw her again. Kara Danvers on the news with a closed deal with VANS to model for their new collection. Kara Danvers was huge, and now, Lena was in the same team as her.

She was playing with the big stars now, and there was no going back from that.

×

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everybody. We hope you liked this chapter a lot. Also, the 3rd one is ready, but we're posting it when we write the 4, so, just wait a few days. If you have any comments or notes about the history, let us know!


	3. Chapter 3

 

Toronto, Canada - January 2018

 

Bad weather appeared in the city that morning, with a little bit of rain, cold and fog, forcing Lena to wear a thick black hoodie and to pack another one in her backpack in case the first one got too wet on her way to the gymnasium.

 

The rainy morning in Toronto started for the player with her having a great breakfast at a very cozy and charming bakery near the Marauder’s court with Fernanda. After the brazilian texted her earlier they went straight to the place, and Lena was finally starting to feel at home, most of it thanks to the other girl.

 

“You came alone? No family?” started Fernanda, taking a bite of her apple.

 

“Well, kind of. My father is canadian and my mom stayed in Germany.” Lena sipped her cappuccino, feeling a bit sleepy still.

 

“So you live with your father or…”

 

“No, actually, we don’t really keep in touch these days.” she looked at Fernanda, starting to make conversation. The truth was: Lena had always been terrible at making small talk, but she could try, after all, the brazilian had been very welcoming to her. “What about you? Brought anyone from Brazil?”

 

“My mom came with me. God forbid a latin mother leave her daughter alone in another country, especially a brazilian one. I swear to you that woman didn’t speak a word in English before we came here. Now she’s cool, not a great English speaker but she can manage things out. Everyone else stayed at home, my siblings haven’t finished school yet and my dad couldn’t live anywhere but our city.” she finished her apple, taking now a kiwi. “What’re your thoughts on the team? The first impression, I mean. Was it ok?”

 

“I felt great, but the pressure… I hope I can get used to it fast. The world changes a bit when you play for a real team with real achievements and not only college stuff.”

 

“What did you study in college?” Fernanda asked, and a second after she screamed what seemed to be a Portuguese word that Lena couldn’t understand, but probably it wasn’t good – she had cut her finger with the knife. “Relax, it’s nothing.”

 

“I have a physiotherapy degree… Is your finger really ok?”

 

“Yeah, don’t worry, it’s not even bleeding, see.” she raised the middle finger to Lena, who let out a spontaneous laugh. “Anyway. Physiotherapy, huh? That’s nice, especially for a volleyball player.”

 

“Well, I figured since my body would be broken most of the time I could at least fix it myself. Also the volleyball scholarship was great. And you? Any degrees?”

 

“Not really. I graduated high school and started playing professionally right away.” Fernanda glanced at the watch on her right arm, turning back to Lena, “God, we’re late, Kara will fucking kill me, come on.” They got up and Fernanda paid the bill, running off to the gym after. “You own me a breakfast.”

 

When they entered the gym, Lena saw all the other girls stretching on the floor, except for Kara Danvers, the captain, who was standing near the others, with her back to Lena and Fernanda. Yet, it seemed like the woman had an eye in the back of her head.

 

“Morning, late sunshines.” she said, turning to them and offering a little smile. It was 6:30 a.m. and the captain’s vitality was already installed throughout the gym. Despite people like this usually sounding fake, Lena could tell that Kara Danvers was genuinely pleasant, and that explained a lot about why she was the team captain. The rest of them, on the other hand, looked quite exhausted. Rainy mornings were always the worst to most players, but not for Lena. For the libero, training like this meant less stress and anxiety, and she could definitely work with that. “You two should go change, we’re starting as soon as we can.”

 

“Why the hurry, boss?” Fernanda asked, letting out a low yawn.

 

“Besides training, we still have to take the pictures for the season, today. I texted all of you yesterday so that you could come in with all your pretty faces looking even prettier, didn’t I?” Fernanda thought for a while, making a fake thoughtful face, then turning back to Kara.

 

“Oh, right! I didn’t care about that cause black beauty is always ready, you know.” Kara stared at her for a couple seconds, and sighing deeply, she answered, clearly holding back a laugh.

 

“Fernanda, get the fuck out of here.”

 

The brazilian laughed and the captain rolled her eyes, while Lena and the first one followed ahead to the locker room.

 

“Are you close friends?” Lena asked, putting on her new training black shirt.

 

“You know, she’s the hitter and I’m the setter, you get close at work. Kara is friends with everyone, I guess.”

 

As the training went on, Gina yelled a thousand times at the girls. They still weren’t on the right rhythm and the season would start in a couple weeks. The doctors had finally released Jennifer from her arm injure, and she was training again. As a physiotherapist, Lena had serious doubts on that, especially cause she knew the pressure players could put on themselves and on others just for the adrenaline. Yet, it was none of her business, so she decided to keepquiet. The team doctors were great and Jennifer was an awesome player, it shouldn’t be a problem.

 

Fernanda and Lena kept practicing serves, and on Lena’s side, Kara Danvers was finally practicing too after dealing with a lot of paperwork with Gina. Her training was meticulously focused, and all of the times Lena took a look around, she could always see Kara looking at the ball like it was everything that mattered in the world. She could actually feel the woman’s passion for the sport.

 

Her attention was deviated with a ball hitting her head. It hadn’t been too hard, but Lena came back to reality again.

 

“Sorry!” the brazilian shouted, while serving another ball. This time her jumping was on point and she finally hit the right strength. The ball came for Lena’s face like a bomb, and she deviated it with amazing body reflex.

 

“You...did it.” Lena stared at Fernanda, dumbfounded. The other girl came running across the court, giving Lena a high-five. Lena sighed, tired, “I guess we can finally eat, now.”

 

It was 2:10 p.m. now, and both of them were late for lunch - what made Gina yell with them at least four times in a whole minute - but Lena felt great at the feeling. It felt like she was being rewarded for doing something good, and that was an amazing sensation. She could finally rest a bit after completing her first task in a real job. Even if the task had only been teaching Fernanda serves.

 

Both of them gathered for lunch in a corner of the court, eating what they brought from home. It was terrible the amount of energy volleyball sucked from their bodies. It had been no more than 6 hours of training, but Lena felt like it had been two whole days. As they ate, Gina started talking about something with Emma, correcting her in a very nice way.

 

“She’s a nice coach, huh?” Lena started, and Fernanda kept staring.

 

“She is, but she’s also very rigid. Have you had the talk already?”

 

“The… talk?” Fernanda turned to Lena, again.

 

“Yeah, the talk. The ‘don’t screw anyone else during game season especially if it’s someone from the team cause it’s very serious’ talk?” Lena remembered the whole conversation. She didn’t actually think much about that since then.

 

“Is it really serious? Like…”

 

“Yes.” Fernanda interrupted her, now with a very firm voice “Gina takes it very seriously. Don’t let her catch you doing anything like this. Actually, don’t do it, cause she always finds out, somehow. And you don’t want the outbreak that comes with that.”

 

“So I assume you have seen the outbreak before.” Lena said very low, taking a bite of her natural sandwich and looking at Fernanda, with malicious eyes.

 

“I didn’t… You know what, just shut up and eat.”

 

“Was it the captain?” Lena kept going, making Fernanda look at her with some rage in her eyes.

 

“Danvers? You crazy? Damn, no. She’s my friend and she’s quite… Damn, no.” the brazilian pulled an indignant face, and yet, a very funny one to Lena.

 

“She’s very what?”

 

“I don’t know. I don’t even think she’s a human being sometimes. But we are friends, and don’t let her hear that, but she isn’t my type.”

 

Lena let out a little smirk, getting back to her lunch. She felt really well received by Fernanda, but for a few seconds the feeling of isolation got to her. The others girls seemed extremely polite, and yet, very closed. Still, she wasn’t there for friendships, but to work, and that was all that mattered at that point.

 

×××

 

Lena was informed after her lunch break that she hadn’t delivered a specific document that was needed immediately, so she had to call her mother and wait until she got home to send it through email.

 

After a long day of training, taking pictures and videos for the Marauder’s social media and stressing out over a document that ended up keeping her in the office for longer than she would’ve liked, the last thing Lena expected to see when the elevator door opened was a well-dressed and insanely beautiful Kara Danvers, standing with her back resting against the mirror and one leg crossed over the other typing something on her phone. A few seconds passed before the blonde woman realized that no one had entered the elevator, and a smile crossed her face when her eyes looked up from her phone’s screen.

 

“Hey, Lena! What are you doing here this late?” Kara asked friendly, putting away her phone and looking directly at Lena. The brunette was very interested in analyzing every aspect of the other woman, who had her hair up in a loose ponytail, and was wearing dark grey trousers that made her look taller. Also,  a thin black belt, a black button-up shirt tucked in her pants, buttoned up all the way to the top with its sleeves folded up to her forearms, showing a white watch on her wrist. Yet, what caught Lena’s attention the most was the fact that Kara was wearing glasses, black round ones that made her look extremely serious and honestly breathtaking. Lena must have stared for much longer than she realized, since the elevator door started closing, stopped only by Kara’s hand. “Are you going down?”

 

“Yes, sorry. Yes, I am.” like she had just snapped out of a trance, Lena walked into the elevator, standing next to Kara, but not looking in her direction at all, acting like the metal doors closing was the most interesting thing in the world. She didn’t blink even once.

 

“So… are you telling me what you were doing here this late or it’s like a secret?” her voice forced Lena to look at her. This time Kara was smiling, and for some reason unknown to Lena, that smile made her cheeks flush.

 

“No, I mean, yes, you can know.” Lena breathed for what seemed like the first time since she saw Kara in front of her. “Sorry, I’m usually not this distracted. I’m just tired of training all day, and just finished reading all my contract again. Honestly all I want right now is a hot shower, some food and my bed.”

 

“I thought they signed your contract back in Germany.”

 

“They did, but I left a document back home cause I thought it wasn’t important to bring with me.” Lena sounded tired, pressing the bridge of her nose, trying to make what felt like the beginning of a headache go away. The elevator stopped again, this time entering an old white man with his cellphone pressed to his ear. He nodded at Kara with a fake smile and pretended like Lena wasn’t even there.

 

“Don’t we have interns that can go to the gymnasium and take this kind of thing for us so we don’t need come here like this?” Kara said, completely ignoring the bad looks the man was giving her for talking in the elevator and bothering him during his phone call, like he wasn’t doing the same thing to them.

 

“Yeah, they told me about that, but I needed to talk to my mom who is in Germany, wait for her to get home from work and only then she could send me the document, and that was only done half an hour ago.”

 

The elevator door opened again, this time revealing the building’s lobby and making the man that was with them leave, without even looking behind or saying  good night. Kara left the elevator in small steps, waiting for Lena to follow her in a short walk ahead to the big glass door at the front.

 

“I see, but everything is good now, right?” She asked with genuinely interest and Lena nodded, happy to see the expression of the blonde relaxing some. “Great, the last thing we need is something going wrong in your documents and keeping you from playing.”

 

“You don’t need to worry about that, Captain.”

 

“There is no need to call me Captain, Lena.” Kara joked, opening the door to exit the building after waving at the doorman, who had just said good night to them. Already outside, Kara stopped, tucking her hands in the pockets of her pants, the movement alone leaving her in a pose that made her look even sexier than she already was. The woman was only 8 cm taller than Lena, but in that moment, she felt like a humble human staring at something angelical. That made Lena stop, even if she didn’t know exactly she was waiting to happen.

 

“At least not outside the court.” Kara’s lips curled up in a smirk before she spoke again, and Lena thought something she made sure to keep in the back of her mind.

 

“Do I have to call you ‘captain’ while we play?” it was an honest question with no malice behind it, but the way Kara's smirk got bigger made her think it sounded like flirting.

 

“I would love if you called me that, if I’m being honest.” Lena keep staring at Kara with her mouth slightly open, she couldn’t believe the tone that that sentence carried. Her reaction made Kara laugh for a second before she changed the subject. “Are you hungry?”

 

“What?” Lena was taken aback at the change of subject, thinking she’d heard it wrong.

 

“Are you hungry, Lena?”

 

“Yes, but I’m on my way home…”

 

“Come with me, I will get us something to eat.”

 

“Cap… Kara, there is no need for this.”

 

“I know but think about this as an apology for keeping you here until now after a whole day of practice.”

 

“You weren’t the one who kept me here until now.”

 

“I’m aware of that, but since I’m the leader of the team, I’m taking this as a personal offense and apologizing to you in the name of the McMaster Marauders of Toronto.” said Kara, with a nice and honest grin on her face.

 

“You don’t need to buy me dinner just to say sorry, Kara. It’s ok, it was my mistake anyway.”

 

“It’s not dinner, it’s just a snack.” she was smiling at Lena’s nervousness and removed her hands from the pocket, revealing a car key, instantaneously walking in the direction of a black sports car. “It’s past 9pm, Lena, you know that we aren’t supposed to eat full meals after 9pm, so… Are you down?”

 

“You just told me it’s late.” Lena had already accepted, because she was following Kara to the car, stopping only when she reached the door to the passenger side.

 

“It’s late for a full meal, I’m proposing a sandwich and a smoothie. And I can drop you home after, I don’t know if you realized, but I have a car.” This time she shook the car keys in front of Lena’s eyes. “So, what do you say? Can I please buy you a snack, so I can have a good night’s sleep, knowing I made up for the lack of consideration our superiors had with our new and talented libero today?” Lena couldn’t help laughing this time. Kara was being so dramatic over the fact that she had to stop by the office for thirty minutes and had just spent twenty more reading and resigning a contract.

 

Cockiness aside from a few sentences here and there, Kara was being very friendly with the new girl who just got into the team and hadn’t even played one official match, and if it wasn’t for the fancy clothes she was wearing and the expensive car next to them, Lena wouldn’t have been able to tell this foolish woman was one of the better-paid volleyball players in the world.

 

“Just a sandwich and a smoothie?” Lena asked, rising an eyebrow, making sure she was going home soon. Even if Kara was nice and funny and was trying to do something friendly, she was actually exhausted.

 

“And desert if you’re good.” The brunette who had her full attention on the other woman’s face, couldn’t help but feeling her cheeks getting warm, which made no sense since Kara was just being nice. However, there was something in the blonde’s personality that made Lena feel intimidated, and that wasn’t something that happened very often, if you consider the parenting Lena had, and the fact that she was the best player in her university team.

 

Ignoring the last sentence Kara had just said, Lena got into the car since Kara had the door open waiting for her for a few good seconds now.

 

After, Kara walked around the car, taking her spot at the driver’s seat, putting her seatbelt on and then, for some reason, opening the first two buttons of her shirt, which let her collarbones exposed. She turned the car on, and before driving off, she looked at Lena with a thoughtful expression, saying very seriously:

 

“What are your thoughts on chicken?”

 

×××

 

“So, how are you feeling about the team so far?” Kara asked before taking the first bite of her chicken hash wrap, moving her jaw in strong and firm movements as she chewed. Putting a hand in front of the lower part of her face to speak, she  swallowed the food in her mouth, her eyes focused on Lena, “Is everyone being nice to you?”

 

“Yeah, everything is great so far. I’m excited about it even more now that all bureaucracy is over. Now I can be more invested in practice, without thinking about paperwork.” Lena answered, taking a sip of something called Red Phoenix Smoothie, which contained banana, honey, strawberry and almond milk. She looked around her surroundings while drinking the smoothie and noticed some details.

 

The place was bigger on the inside, the floor was white and the walls were baby green. There was a large balcony at the back of the place, also, black metal tables and chairs. At the moment there were two groups of people, one with three people, and another with five, eating while chatting. Also, a couple sitting farther away from everyone else, who looked like they were having not a very lovely conversation.

 

The woman who served them, called Blair by Kara, was now behind the balcony helping an older man fix something on the computer. When they got in the restaurant it looked like she was expecting Kara to show up at some point, cause her order was ready, but she looked surprised upon seeing Lena. Lena also got to learn that Kara didn’t pay when she ate at this place, because Grabbagreen not only was the new ‘thing’ for healthy food in Toronto, but it was also one of Kara’s exclusives sponsorships outside the team. She took a few photos and recorded a commercial for them, so not only she received a large paycheck in her account every month, but  also she didn’t have to pay a cent when she went there.

 

“That’s good, it’s good to know you are so excited. We need new blood and new eyes on our side.” Kara offered her a warm smile.

 

“I am, I played all these games for my university team, but I feel like this experience will be a little different.”

 

“Probably will because, you know, there will be more people watching, the atmosphere at the arena is something else, there is also a bunch of cameras and reporters since the league is broadcasted live on television.” Kara said like she was trying to remember everything that happened in the games, wiping her mouth with a napkin before talking again, “Oh, and some of us need to give interviews after the games.”

 

“I get a feeling that this is more of your field.” Lena spoke with a trace of shyness in her voice, turning her attention from Kara to her smoothie, even though it was almost over. “The interviewing thing, I mean.”

 

“I can’t deny that,” a smirk showed up on Kara’s lips before she could stop herself, “Most of the times, but all of the members in our team are popular. We became fresh meat in the eyes of the public in the last five years. I just happen to be the leader.”

 

“I know that, even in Germany I already knew a few things about it.”

 

“What can I say? People like rooting for the underdog and that’s what we are.” She put her elbows on the table, pushing her body forward and resting her chin on her fingers. “The Marauders are a team founded 32 years ago that never won anything, the closest we got was in 1992 when our higher was at the semi-finals, since then we were never classified for the quarterfinals again. Last year we won our first national championship after two years in a row of losing at the semi-finals. After a campaign like that, people start paying attention to us.”

 

“To you, specifically.”

 

“Well, yeah, most of it is the position.” Lena could see the light spark in her eyes when Kara talked about her accomplishments, even if she was trying to sound humble. But it did seem like the word “humble” in Kara Danvers’ dictionary meant being a little smug and having a beautiful white smile showing. “People love the ones who put the ball down a bit more.”

 

“Your serve is good too, and your block is great.” Lena didn’t know why she was inflating her ego even more, but something about watching the reactions of Kara’s body when she heard compliments was interesting.

 

“True, but the public usually doesn’t pay much attention to the blocks or serves, even with us knowing that they take a lot of effort and practice as well. Only people who are really into sports analyses appreciate that. Normally they go crazy for a move that no one expects and probably looks like you got hurt. That’s why Fernanda, Wang and Jennifer are also very popular.”

 

“Not Madison and Emma?”

 

“Oh, trust me, they get attention too.” she said like it was some intern joke that Lena should know about, but quickly continued her trail of thought, “They are very good at their positions, they do their jobs amazingly, they won a championship last year, everyone knows we couldn’t have done it without them and everyone with knowledge in the sport agrees with that, but not everyone understands how important they are. It’s like with football in Europe during the UEFA Champions League, we take Real Madrid for example: everyone knows how good Cristiano Ronaldo is, even people who don’t know much about the sport know that he is the man who scores the goals, and he is the chosen one if they have a penalty. But what people who don’t have a view of a team as something that is only functional with collective work don’t know is that, Cristiano is just as important as Luka Modrić, or Toni Kroos, or Marcelo, or Sergio Ramos. They don’t pay attention to the fact that if there is no one to get the ball from the goalkeeper to Cristiano, there is no goal. It’s team effort with them, and with us as well.”

 

“Didn’t Cristiano Ronaldo leave Real Madrid for Juventus?”

 

“Yes, he did. But my example still works and I’m not planning on leaving the Marauders, don’t worry about that.” the older woman winked at her, finishing her detox juice that didn’t look good at all.

 

“Are you comparing yourself to Cristiano Ronaldo?” that level of confidence made Lena arch one of her eyebrows.

 

“I mean, I like to think that I’m more good looking than him, but I guess that has to do with taste.” she shrugged, as if it was the most common thing in the world to compare herself to the best football player of this generation.

 

“I see.” It was unbelievable that Lena found that to be both amusing and charming. “You said Jennifer received attention as well, does that mean I will get it too?”

 

“Of course, especially if you play as good as Gina and Mark told me you do.”

 

“She talked about me?”

 

“Yes, as the captain she and Mark discuss some things with me, especially since I’m the one expected to keep you behaved inside the court. They loved your moves in your position, but said we need to work on your setter game. Good thing that what we need right know it’s a good libero to replace Jennifer if her injure continues, and Gina said you are one of the bests she saw during her trips to Europe… and you are still young, we can shape you how we like and need.”

 

“Oh.” Lena didn’t know how to react to that statement, she was just praised but also the knowing that they talked about her weakest skill made the compliment taste a little bitter.

 

“That’s a good thing, trust me.”

 

“I believe in that, it just seems like a lot of pressure.”

 

“I trust you to play your best game when we ask you to, and that you have nothing to be nervous about.”

 

“Are you telling me you don’t get nervous?”

 

“I never said that.”

 

“Well, do you?”

 

“I’m the captain, I can’t show that I’m nervous, otherwise my whole team will feel like they have a reason to get nervous as well, and that doesn’t help anyone.”

 

“I see.”

 

“I know it will be hard most of the times, especially because this is your first professional team, but you need to find a way to keep yourself calm from the moment you step into the court until the end of an interview.”

 

“I thought you were going to say that it is until the game is over.”

 

“I wish.” a forced laugh left Kara’s lips, she pressed them together like some bad memory was in her mind before shaking her head a little bit and continuing to talk. “Sometimes, the eyes are on us after we win, and even more if we lose. We need to talk to the reporters and we can’t show fear or weakness to the fans and the press, gotta find a way to keep it cool.”

 

“How do you do it? Keeping calm during and after the game, I mean.”

 

“Honestly?”

 

“Yes, of course.”

 

“I meditate.”

 

“Before the game?” Lena was genuinely interested on knowing what the big secret from the number one player on the league was, maybe she could learn and use it too.

 

“No, I mean yes, but during the games as well, the breaks especially.”

 

“Excuse me?” She could not hide the shock, voice sounding higher and louder than what would be considered appropriate for a restaurant.

 

“Yes, when Gina or the other coach ask for a break, I meditate. That’s why she doesn’t talk to me during the game, we have a conversation about everything that could go wrong in the game before it starts, so I know how to act and how to talk to the girls during the match. But once I step into the court, no one from outside the team talks to me, so they don’t break my concentration, not even Gina.”

 

“Scheisse*” Lena was speechless, this was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard in her whole life. Of course, she knew and saw players that kept quiet or didn’t talk to anyone, just nodded when necessary, but actually meditate during breaks and not listening to the coach was at a whole new level.

 

“It’s not actual meditation, the break dures only 30 seconds so there is no time to concentrate enough. It’s more about controlling my breath and keeping myself focused. I’d like to think that you watched any Marauders games, right?” Lena only nodded to that question, still impressed by the information she just got. “So, had you ever paid attention to what I do during time outs or breaks?”

 

“Not much, I usually try to listen to the coach. I know you stay seated on the bench, but I’ve always thought you were listening to everything the coach said or trying to intimidate the other team.”

 

“Nope, meditating the whole time, trying my hardest not to hear a word anyone is saying. That’s why someone always puts a hand on my shoulder after the break is over, so I know it’s time to get back to the court, and when we step in I always ask them if everything is good, that means the coach told them everything. It’s easier like that, I don’t have the privilege of getting distracted.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because if I get distracted we lose.” she said, with the most serious tone Lena had ever heard her talking since they met, didn’t even look like the same woman who was being silly outside the team’s office and asking to take her to eat something minutes ago.

 

“So, if we lost a game it’s your fault because you got distracted?”

 

“Not always, I know I’m not the only player there and sometimes the others fuck things up. But even if that happens, as the captain, the responsibility will always lay on my shoulders.”

 

Lena observed the woman in front of her, the way Kara’s lips were pressed together, the way her finger kept it scratching her own nails taking away the nail polish in there. Kara’s body language changed abruptly in less than a minute, it was enough to make the younger woman realize that she liked being in the company of goofy and happy Kara way more than serious and upset Kara.

 

“Got it, no fucking this up for you.” she decided to change the topic of the conversation, so Kara could come back on being nice and not quiet and serious “So, can you tell me what you were doing in the office this late or the question only applies to me?”

 

“Oh.” it honestly looked like the switch had turned right and the whole bad and angry vibe Kara was irradiating changed. Now her shoulder had dropped, she stopped messing with her nails and a smile appeared in her mouth. “I was talking to Mark and a few associates about the possibility of making a charitable event for the orphanage three streets down the arena. They are going through some bad times and I thought we could help.”

 

“That’s so nice.” if Lena was being honest, the information had taken her a little aback, since the last thing she expected was that, the confident and cocky woman she had been spending her last half hour talking to, would be worried about an orphanage. She had seen Kara post some things on her Instagram but always thought it was like every celebrity, too much talk and zero attitude. “What did they say?”

 

“They will think about it, study the situation and if everything works out, they will create an advertising campaign.”

 

“Wow, that’s very thoughtful of you.”

 

“Not really, I mean, we receive so much money and have a lot of attention from magazines, websites and television. The least we can do is help people who need it, right?” once again that night Kara lost herself in her own mind, a soft smile taking over her face. After a few seconds of silence the woman got up, hands in her pockets and eyes on Lena’s. “Come on, I will take you home.”

 

“There is no need for that, you already did so much you didn’t have to.” Lena got up as well, picking her bag from the floor and putting it on her shoulder.

 

“Nonsense, I asked you out, I’ll take you home.” she said and started walking to the exit door shouting to the woman who greeted them when they got there, “Blair, we are leaving, everything was amazing. Have a nice night.”

 

“Already?” the black woman sounded and looked disappointed, standing on the middle of the place with a tray with food in her hands.

 

“Yeah, I need to take this one home,” Kara answered pointing at Lena “I can’t have our new player walking around alone this late at night, want to make sure she gets home so there are no excuses for slacking tomorrow at practice.”

 

“Okay then, since you have to go. Good night Kara, drive safe, woman. And new girl, come back anytime you want some good food, okay?”

 

“Yeah, I will, thank you.” Lena answered and waved, leaving the restaurant right after, since Kara had the door open for her.

 

Once she stepped outside the cold air of the night in Toronto made itself present, making sure to remind Lena she was no longer inside a warm and cozy restaurant, with a bunch of people around. Instead, she was on the sidewalk alone with Kara, who was slowly walking to her car, not even bothering to look behind, and Lena knew it wasn’t because she didn’t care, but because she knew Lena would follow her. That confidence radiating from the older woman made Lena grab the strap of her bad with too much strength.

 

“Kara, thank you for the food, you didn’t have to. But I can walk home, it’s not that far away.”

 

“What?” Kara stopped abrubtly, getting scared by the noise like she didn’t expect the younger woman to had stayed behind, since she was already by the side of her car “Lena, I took you ten more minutes away from where you were, why would I do that if I had no intentions to take you back home?”

 

“I know and I appreciate that, I’m just saying you don’t need to take me there and get farther away from your path.”

 

“Where do you live? The address, I mean.”

 

“467 Richmond Street, East.” She replied automatically, after all she wrote that words all over her things since the email with her address had arrived in her inbox, not wanting to get lost.

 

“Ok, get in, I’ll take you there.”

 

“It’s close to your house?” Lena began to walk again, stopping on Kara’s side, who had already opened the door for her.

 

“No, I live on the other side of town.”

 

“What? Kara, why would you take me there if it will delay you?”

 

“It won’t, I get home in 35 minutes. 25 since there is no traffic this hour.”

 

“But I will make you spend gas taking me home.”

 

“Luckily for both of us, my car doesn’t use gas. It’s an electric car.”

 

“But…”

 

“Lena, if you don’t let me take you home, I’ll have this feeling in my mind that I let you walk alone at this hour at night, in a country where you live for a week now. If you want to walk, fine but I will be on your side in the car during the whole time, so I guess it will save us some time if you just get in and let me take you home. Gina will be pissed that we are going to have less than eight hours of sleep tonight because it already passed 10pm.”

 

“I… Fine, take me home. But only because of the Gina thing.” Lena said, entering the car and closing the door.

 

“Thank you so much for accepting our services.” Kara smirked at Lena and turned the car on, ahead to Lena’s house.

 

It didn’t take much time for them to get to the address. They didn’t talk a lot and Lena used the time to take in the city. Toronto at night was beautiful and very illuminated, and the streets were filled with people. When they arrived at the front of the building and the car stopped, Lena looked at Kara, very tired.

 

“Thank you, Captain. Have a nice night.” she smiled fast, and Kara, with a very friendly voice, answered.

 

“You too, Lena.” Kara waved a little bit with her left hand when Lena was already outside the car looking at her.

 

When Kara made no movement to leave she realized that the older woman was waiting for her to get inside the building. Lena nodded again, looking directly at Kara even from the car windows and headed towards her apartment.

 


End file.
